Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh - Part 2

                                                     

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh - Part 2

Myrrh was one of the three gifts given to Jesus when He was a young child from wise men when they came to worship Him as King of the Jews. (Matthew 2:11).

While gold spoke of Jesus’ Kingship, myrrh spoke of Jesus’ anointing and death.

Myrrh was used in the Old Testament in the holy anointing oil used to anoint the tabernacle and the priests. (Exodus 30:22-31). Jesus spoke of His body as the tabernacle (temple). (John 2:19-21). Jesus is our high priest. (Hebrews 9:11-12). As an antiseptic, myrrh was used in embalming. Myrrh was used to anoint Jesus at His burial.

A woman anointed Jesus’ body with ointment. The Greek word for “ointment” is a root word of the Greek word for “myrrh.” Jesus said she did this for His burial, and wherever the gospel shall be preached, what she had done would be told. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.” - Matthew 26:7

Jesus said of the woman,

“For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." - Matthew 26:12-13 KJV

Nicodemus brought myrrh to anoint Jesus’ body for burial. This is the same Nicodemus that was a ruler of the Jews that Jesus told must be born of water and of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:1-21).

"And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

“And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." - John 19:38-40 KJV